The North East Link Inquiry and Advisory Committee (IAC) hearings wrapped up in September, with expert witnesses presenting on a range of disciplines including traffic and transport, ecology, noise, air quality, traffic modelling, economics, urban design, landscape and visual impacts, surface water, ground water and open space.

Whitehorse City Council submitted a joint response alongside Banyule and Boroondara Councils which focused on concerns of the three councils throughout the project corridor, including:

• Acquisition and permanent loss of 30 hectares of open space and potential loss for up to seven years of other open space
• Up to seven years of disruption caused by construction laydown areas and access routes
• Loss of approximately 25,000 trees, including vegetation of national environmental significance and associated amenity and ecosystem services
• Ground and surface water contamination
• Irreparable damage to the Yarra River floodplain, Koonung and Banyule Creeks and other waterways
• Impacts on human health 
• The further division of communities, particularly through Watsonia
• Excessive widening of the Eastern Freeway
• Traffic noise impacts affecting the livability of our communities
• Traffic, access and congestion impacts on local roads
• Access to the La Trobe National Employment and Innovation Cluster

Thank you to the many Whitehorse community groups and residents who presented their thoughts about the project to the IAC.

The IAC is preparing a report of recommendations for the Victorian Planning Minister. The Minister will consider the report and is expected to make a final decision on the North East Link project by the end of 2019.

More information 
www.northeastlink.vic.gov.au